Guardian Angels
by ARCEUS-master
Summary: With their Sinnoh adventures behind them, Ash's group are due for a well-deserved vacation. However, after losing to Tobias and his Latios, Ash isn't very enthusiastic that their destination ends up being a city literally governed by a powerful Latias and Latios. Brock is insistent that it's the perfect place to go, and he may just end up being right after all.
1. Well-Deserved Vacations

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Pokémon.

**Story Dialogue Format:** "Speech." - _'Thoughts.'_ \- _"Telepathy."_

**Author Notes:** Hello, everyone! So, I've decided to post a new story! This story is going to be a lot shorter and quicker than some of my larger ongoing projects, but nonetheless it's an idea I had that I wanted to share with everyone. I must say, with this story I got hit really hard by the almighty Plot Bunny. Once the idea formed, I just had to write it.

As the summary implies, it's a very straightforward premise. This is a rewrite of "Pokémon Heroes: Latias and Latios" with a lot of elements changed from the canon version. Such as changing the movie to after the Sinnoh region and vastly changing the characterization, relationships and power level of Latias and Latios, among other things that I will add or modify.

It's to note, this story is completely independent and has no ties of any kind to any of my other written works, like Stopping The Storm or my A New Chance series.

Additionally, I also want to give a friendly shout-out to** Ri2** and **Syrup-Waffle**, who will be beta-reading this story. Thanks a lot, guys!

Finally, thanks a lot to everyone who takes the time to read my works. Your readership means the world to me and I vastly appreciate it. Thanks to you, my dear reader. Without you I would be no one. Now, onto the story!

* * *

**Chapter 1 – Well-Deserved Vacations**

* * *

The shrill whistle of fireworks filled the air as countless rockets surged high into the sky. Moments later, booming echoes loudly resonated through the darkening evening sky as they blew up in colorful displays of bright and dazzling lights. The roar of the fireworks died down and was replaced by the resounding sound of screaming as an audience of tens of thousands of people cheered collectively across a large stadium. At the center of the stadium's Pokémon battlefield, an elegant podium had been installed for an upcoming awards ceremony.

Currently, there were only two people standing on it. One of them was an adult man with long greyish-blue hair that covered the left side of his face and went slightly past his shoulders wearing a neat dark red coat with beige clothes underneath. At his side was a tall woman with very long blonde hair that went all the way down to her knees and was dressed in an elegant black suit with a long black coat on top of it. She was none other than Cynthia, the champion of the Sinnoh region. Both of them had calm expressions on their faces as they contemplated the roaring crowds around them and the stunning firework show above the stadium.

On one of the many balconies halfway up the stands, a young trainer let out a saddened sigh as he watched the events unfolding on the podium. The trainer's Pikachu, sitting on the youth's shoulder, gently patted his friend's head reassuringly. The trainer glanced at his faithful companion and showed him a soft smile while reaching up with a hand to scratch the Pokémon's chin, eliciting a soft murmur in response from the electric-type.

Both of them looked on as a short elder with a very prominent white beard and a bushy haircut, barely tucked underneath a red Pokémon League cap, walked towards the podium. The elder held a serene expression on his face as he made his way forward while holding a golden trophy with two wings on top that were framing a Poké Ball.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Today we bring down the curtain on yet another exciting Sinnoh League! The Lily of the Valley Conference is officially over!" an MC's voice boomed over the stadium's loudspeakers. "We celebrate the remarkable effort of more than three hundred trainers who took part in this grueling tournament to decide who would be crowned this year's league champion! In a tournament full of excitement and some of the best battles we've ever seen, we now have a winner! Let's hear a round of applause for Tobias!"

Thousands of people across the stands stood up, the sound of clapping echoing spectacularly across the stadium. The man in question smiled and rose one of his arms to wave triumphantly at the audience.

As the diminutive elder carrying the trophy reached the podium, the MC spoke up again. "And now, let's hear a few words from the President of the League Competition Committee, Mr. Charles Goodshow!" Mr. Goodshow stepped up and approached a microphone that was laid out at the appropriate height for him, just in front of Cynthia and Tobias.

Back on the balcony, Ash looked down at the scene with a troubled expression. "So close, yet so far away at the same time," he commented to no one in particular, frowning slightly as Mr. Goodshow began to give a short closing speech.

"Cheer up, Ash," Brock said optimistically, placing a hand on the Pallet Town trainer's shoulder. "You made it to the top four and it took the eventual winner of the whole thing to knock you out. I'd say you had a very successful tournament."

"Indeed!" Dawn said brightly in agreement. "Regardless of what happened, we're very proud of you and the effort your Pokémon gave," she added sweetly. Piplup let out a happy cry from his place in Dawn's cradling arms, eagerly nodding his head in approval.

"Thanks, guys," Ash replied appreciatively to his two traveling companions, already admitting that he felt much better. "You're all awesome." His expression hardened into a determined gaze as he watched Mr. Goodshow handing Tobias the champion's trophy.

"You're welcome Ash, that's what friends are for," Brock replied with a soft smile.

"We'll try again next year, in whichever place our journey takes us to, and we'll do our best to win as always, right buddy?" Ash stated, glancing to the side at Pikachu. He smirked broadly when his partner gave him a confident grin and nod.

The fireworks display increased in intensity as Tobias proudly lifted the winner's golden trophy. Then Cynthia, Tobias and Mr. Goodshow turned around, looking up to the stadium's imposing torch. Slowly, the flame began to noticeably shrink. "And so, the Sinnoh League flame extinguishes at last, until it's lit again for next year's league!" the MC's voice blared over the loudspeakers, with the final worlds coinciding almost perfectly with the fire disappearing completely.

* * *

Ash smiled, looking up nostalgically at the entrance to the Sinnoh League stadium. The midday sun was shining high into the sky, making Ash slightly adjust his cap to better cover his face from the sunrays. The place was largely empty and devoid of any activity. With the league officially closing the night before, the vast majority of trainers and fans at the many hotels and villas across Lily of the Valley Island were preparing their departures, something that he himself had been doing since early morning as well. However, the trainer had wanted one last look at the league complex before departing.

"Well, this is goodbye to the Sinnoh Region, Pikachu," Ash commented calmly, idly reaching up to scratch the electric-type's cheek. "It was an amazing year, that's all I have to say. We met so many new friends to add to our family, we had some of the best battles of our lives, we even settled our rivalry with Paul in a good manner and best of all, we reached top four of a league for the first time ever," he summed up. Pikachu nodded once while pressing himself closer to Ash's gloved hand, responding to him with an energetic cry.

"Hey Ash!" a young and feminine voice called from behind them.

"Oh, hey Dawn," Ash responded warmly while turning around, seeing the young girl running up to him before stopping at his side. He could swear Dawn's presence was already lifting up his melancholic mood.

Dawn looked up at the stadium's entrance for several seconds, much like Ash had been doing just a few moments ago. "Well, that's that."

"Yeah," Ash agreed.

Dawn smiled sweetly at him. "I know we've been traveling for a long time now, after all it's been a full year since we met. But it's gone by so quickly!"

"I know, it feels like we started our traveling yesterday," Ash said agreed. "Come on, Dawn. Let's return to the port and meet up with Brock. We have a ferry to catch." He turned around and began to walk, not sparing any further glances at the magnificent stadium at his back.

Dawn gave the league complex one final look before turning around to follow him. "Hey, our journey isn't over yet. If you think about it, our journey is just getting under way, in fact," she said serenely.

Ash nodded. "I hear you. Being a Pokémon master requires lots of hard work, and I better not slack off if I want to do better in whichever league I next participate in," he replied. "Today I was top four, tomorrow I am going to be runner-up or champion!" Ash paused awkwardly for a few long instants. "Hopefully."

Dawn looked up at the sky as she walked, a thoughtful expression on her features. "And I have a lot of work to do as well if I want to become a top coordinator. I can't believe I reached second place at my first ever Grand Festival. And, I lost to an amazing coordinator in Zoey. There's no shame in that."

Ash smirked and held his open hand to the coordinator at his side. "We'll both reach the top one day. I just know it, Dawn," he stated confidently.

Dawn returned the smirk and playfully high-fived him. "Yep!"

The pair continued their walk towards the port at a leisure pace, chatting and summarizing the events of the entire years' worth of adventures they had shared together in the Sinnoh region. As they reached the port, they noticed Brock nearby and walked up to him. "Finally," Brock commented good-humoredly. "I was worried we'd miss the ship. Boarding ends in ten minutes."

"I just wanted one last look at the island, it wasn't gonna take too long," Ash replied defensively.

Brock chuckled in amusement. "It's fine, Ash." He whirled around, walking towards the ramp to board the ferry. "Come on, guys."

Ash and Dawn followed the former gym leader, and boarded the ferry along with him. It wasn't as luxurious as other ferries they had been on before, but it was serviceable. The trio walked towards the side of the ship, looking around as they did so. Ash let out a sigh and walked to the railing, idly glancing back to the island as they set sail and it began to recede into the distance.

"Something wrong, Ash?" Brock asked in slight concern.

Ash turned around, leaning back against the deck's railing. "Once we hit the seaport, we'll be close to Twinleaf Town, right?"

"Yeah," Dawn answered, not entirely sure what Ash was getting at.

Ash grimaced. "It's just that I realized when we boarded the ship that when we get there, it will be time to say goodbye. We all have to head to our respective homes. And after that, I need to have some time to think about what's next for me."

Brock nodded slowly, understanding. "It's not the end of the world, Ash. We've been through this before. Kanto, Johto, Hoenn and now Sinnoh."

"I know, I know," Ash said back. "Doesn't make it any easier." He gave the pair a kind smile. "I'll miss you guys a lot."

Dawn returned the smile. "Let's be positive about it. It's been a great year for us. Like we said earlier, our journeys are only just beginning. I'm sure this won't be the last time we travel together."

"Well, that may actually come sooner than you'd expect," Brock spoke up suddenly, catching the attention of both of them. "Indeed, our life journeys are just beginning. But, before it's time to say our final goodbyes, I have a small surprise for the two of you."

"Hmm?" Dawn hummed at him, perking an eyebrow in interest.

"Whatcha up to?" Ash asked curiously, giving Brock a suspicious look. Pikachu tilted his head, thoughtful.

"You'll see. Wait here," Brock responded as he turned around and disappeared into the ship's interior, making his way towards the group's assigned cabin where he had put his backpack and belongings. After a couple of minutes, he returned with a small envelope in his hands. He walked to a table on the ship's deck and sat down. Getting the cue, Ash and Dawn followed suit and sat down with him. "So, over the last several weeks I've been putting together this little surprise for both of you."

"A surprise?" Ash repeated, wondering what sort of thing Brock could have planned. Considering the former gym leader's vast expertise on so many fields and places, it could literally be anything.

"Ooh, I'm really eager now!" Dawn gushed excitedly. "You're the best, Brock!"

Brock nodded appreciatively. "Thank you. So, before we split up and head home, I arranged for us to have a small vacation. A last get-together to enjoy ourselves and have fun without the pressures of competition bogging us down."

"That's amazing!" Dawn exclaimed while clapping her hands together, her eyes lighting up with glee. "I wouldn't mind a vacation. The Sinnoh competitions were very stressful, a break before tackling my next challenge would be very much appreciated. Though, what about my mom? Does she know?" she asked.

Brock nodded once. "She does. I already spoke with Johanna. We'll head to our destination, spend a couple weeks there and once we're done, you'll return to Sinnoh while Ash and I will continue on to Kanto," he elaborated.

Dawn tilted her head, placing a finger on her chin. "Head back to Sinnoh? So, where we're going isn't within Sinnoh?" she deducted.

Brock shook his head. "It's not. I originally wanted to have the vacation be in Sinnoh for convenience's sake since we're already here. Sadly, when trying to find a good place I realized that since we just traveled through all of Sinnoh… uh, well, let's just say there weren't any interesting spots left that we haven't already visited."

Dawn giggled in amusement. "Well, I won't argue with that."

"Makes sense," Ash added. "Walking around a region on foot means you'll see most of it eventually."

"Yeah," Brock agreed. "So, I looked at other regions I'm familiar with for possible vacation destinations, made a list, narrowed it down… and finally managed to find a good place we can vacation on that I don't think any of us has been to."

Dawn grinned excitedly, barely containing herself on her chair. "Where is it? Tell me already!"

Ash chuckled at her enthusiasm, but he knew he'd be lying if he said he wasn't equally interested. Judging by the way Pikachu was leaning forward on his shoulder, Ash knew his buddy was just as interested as he was.

"I'm getting there, patience," Brock urged her with some amusement. "Anyway, other than stress relief, I organized this vacation as a congratulatory gift for both of you. You two should be very proud of yourselves. Top four for you, Ash. Runner-up for you, Dawn. That's amazing considering you two just turned fifteen and eleven years old not too long ago. Many trainers don't get any decent results until they're almost adults."

Ash scratched the back of his head, flattered. "Thanks a lot, Brock."

Dawn blushed slightly. "Thank you. I still can't believe I was basically the second-best coordinator in Sinnoh after just one year of training."

Brock gave the young girl a sincere smile. "You're a prodigy, Dawn. Keep up the hard work, don't slack off and you'll be going places." He fiddled with the envelope he had in his hands, opening it and taking out six pieces of paper from it. "So, when we get to Twinleaf, we'll spend a day over there to get ready, then we'll be departing to Johto. These are our tickets." He handed one out to Dawn and Ash while keeping one for himself.

"Oh, so our vacation destination is in Johto? Neat. I've never been to Johto before," Dawn commented as she examined the rather genetic ship ticket in her hands.

Ash also looked at the ticket in his hands, a rush of many fond memories from his Johto journeys immediately flooding his mind. Judging by Pikachu's fixed gaze at the ticket, it was clear he too was in a similar trance. "Man, Johto does bring back so many memories… So, this place we're going to, did we miss it during our Johto adventures? It seems odd we haven't been there already."

"We missed it, yeah," Brock confirmed. "I can't remember why, honestly. May have been bad weather or we just couldn't fit it into our itinerary." He paused for a moment. "Once we get to Johto, we'll be heading there. It's a lovely city that's literally built in the middle of the sea called Alto Mare. It's one of the highest rated holiday spots in all of Kanto and Johto, so I'm sure that we'll have a blast over there." He handed Ash and Dawn another ticket, once again keeping one for himself. "That's the Eon Ticket, Alto Mare's custom travel ticket and our access to the city."

"Wow, this looks really neat," Dawn said while she closely examined the ticket she had been given. It was a stylish card with a golden frame around it that featured a color gradient that went from red to blue, with two prominent black silhouettes on it. She turned it around, noting that the back featured the same gradient and had the travel information such as date, name and assigned ship printed on it in nice golden letters. "Pretty."

Ash hummed, staring intently at the travel ticket. "Wait a moment, this Pokémon over here looks _very_ familiar, Brock," he said with a wince, pointing at one of the silhouettes on the ticket with a finger.

"Yeah, I'm very sorry about that," Brock responded awkwardly. "You see, Alto Mare's biggest fame comes from the fact the city is home to two Legendary Pokémon, a Latias and Latios, that basically govern it. So, it's a very unique place."

Ash leaned into the table, throwing Brock a teasing look. "Yeah, let's go on a vacation to that place literally ruled by the one Pokémon that knocked me out of the Sinnoh league."

Brock laughed out loud, unsurprised. "Ash, I planned this ahead of time. There's no way I could've ever predicted Tobias was going to use a _Latios_ of all Pokémon to eliminate you. Seriously, what are the chances that was going to happen!?"

Ash began to chuckle, admitting to himself that the situation was rather amusing. "Well, I guess you didn't see that one coming."

"I totally didn't," Brock responded. "But, as soon as Tobias released that Latios, I knew the irony of my planned vacation wouldn't be missed."

"Don't worry about it," Ash said, while Dawn and Pikachu couldn't help but giggle.

Brock slowly stood up from the table. "Anyway, now that the plans are laid down, let's go and get something to eat."

Ash grinned. "I like that plan."

"Of course," Dawn chirped in playfully, much to Ash's embarrassment.

* * *

Several days later…

Ash let out a relaxed sigh as the fresh and salty sea breeze went past all around him, causing him to raise a hand to his head to keep his beloved cap secure in place, and relished in the cool sensation it brought from the warm noon sunrays. Ash, Dawn and Brock were currently on a mid-sized tourist ferry, along with several dozen other people, having departed from a port in Johto's coastline to head to Alto Mare not long ago. Ash looked ahead, seeing nothing but a vast landscape of bright blue water in front of the ferry. "So, how long before we reach Alto Mare?" he asked curiously, glancing over his shoulder to look at Brock, who was casually leaning back in his seat.

"The boat journey takes about half an hour, Ash. We'll be there pretty soon," Brock answered. "According to what I've read, Alto Mare is only a few dozen miles beyond the coast."

Dawn perked up upon hearing that, gazing at the horizon ahead with interest to see if she could catch any glimpses of the famed city yet. "I'm really eager. From the way you've been describing this place, it sounds wonderful."

"I've read that it is! It has raving reviews as a vacation spot, so I hope that we'll have a great time over there," Brock replied in excitement.

"Yeah, we haven't taken a good break in a while," Ash mused before idly looking to the side, watching the waves the boat created as it sped forward with slight attention along with Pikachu. Occasionally they would catch a glimpse of a water-type Pokémon, causing both of them to follow it with their gazes until it disappeared from sight. As the minutes went by and the boat neared their destination, Ash was suddenly jolted in slight fright due to Dawn letting out an excited shout beside him.

"Hey! Look!" Dawn exclaimed happily while pointing forward. Ash and Brock turned their heads to look at what Dawn was pointing to and then stood up, walking closer to the boat's bow as numerous objects became immediately visible on the distant horizon. The boat kept going closer and closer, making more distant objects appear and causing the ones that were already visible to become larger and be easily identifiable as buildings that seemed to magically sprout from the ocean.

"Whoa… It's even better to look at with my own eyes than on all of its promotional material," Brock commented in awe. "Such an amazing and unique city… I wonder how many pretty girls I'll meet over there!" he gushed.

Dawn lightheartedly elbowed him. "Don't make me call your Croagunk."

Brock grimaced. "Please no." He froze in horror when he felt one of his Poké Balls vibrate ever so slightly.

"Thought so," Dawn replied, snickering.

As the two bantered, Ash leaned forward as much as he could to get a better view of the rapidly approaching city. "So, that's Alto Mare…" he said breathlessly. The ferry began to turn to the side, going around the front of Alto Mare in a wide loop to head towards the harbor and thus letting the boat's occupants get a clear view of the city as it passed by.

The Johto Region's autonomous territory of Alto Mare was a city proudly built right in the middle of the seas located just beyond Johto's coastline. Despite its very unusual location, Alto Mare was rather big and looked to span across a vast area. Due to its nature, the city mostly lacked any exceptionally tall buildings except for a few notable or important buildings that jutted imposingly from the rest. The majority of the city's buildings were designed with a classical and antique style of architecture, giving it a unique visual appeal.

"Wow, they weren't joking when they said this place used canals instead of roads," Ash commented, clearly impressed. As the ferry sailed across the coastline of Alto Mare, it let the occupants see the numerous waterways into the city. Alto Mare had a complex infrastructure of water canals that served as its main streets and roads, with gondolas and boats of both traditional and modern designs being a common sight on them as they were the primary means of transportation on the city.

The ferry then made a sharp turn towards the city, entering a large harbor that had numerous docks lined up on its interior. "Attention passengers, attention passengers. We have arrived to our destination, Alto Mare. Please, prepare to disembark," the captain's voice resounded over the loudspeakers. Minutes later, the boat docked and a ramp was lowered to allow the occupants to exit.

Ash, Dawn and Brock patiently waited for their turn to disembark. As they waited, they looked around and observed the numerous ships coming and going as well as the myriad of people arriving, leaving or working at the busy harbor. Looking inland, they noted an ornamented fence was funneling all the arriving visitors from the docks to a single large entry into the main harbor area. The port had many smaller stations and buildings with a similar antique motif as the rest of the city lining it, with a large port authority building prominently rising at the center.

Once they had disembarked in an orderly manner, Ash's group stepped off the ramp and into the dock, and then began to make their way to the main entryway. As they walked, they took note of the flag that was proudly waving from a large pole at the top of the main port building. The flag was mainly white with two stripes, one red and one blue, splitting it diagonally. On each side of the division, facing their respective stripe, was a distinct Pokémon-like red and blue silhouette that Ash's group couldn't quite make out just yet. However, they all had a good idea as to who each silhouette represented.

When they reached the end of the dock, they noticed that flanking the harbor's main entrance were two gracefully decorated stone pillars with statues on top of them and an elegant stone plaque on their front, with each pillar ending up roughly a bit taller than an adult human. "Huh, interesting," Ash commented as he walked closer to examine them. He first focused on the two very finely crafted stone carvings of the pair of Legendary Pokémon at the top. One was tinted red and the other was tinted blue, the latter of which he recognized as Latios from his experience in the Lily of the Valley Conference. The other one was stunningly similar, with some slight differences, which he assumed was Latias. "Well, you weren't kidding, Brock," Ash said in bemusement as he went up to the red statue on the right. "This place really does like Latias and Latios."

"It does," Brock responded. "They are very important to this city." As he examined them, his eyes focused on the pillar and the plaque underneath the statues. "Huh, it says something here," he added, pointing to it.

Ash leaned forward to get a better look at the inscription on the plate. "Welcome to Alto Mare, dearest visitor. I offer you my warmest greetings and wish you have a fantastic and delightful stay in our city! – Latias," he read aloud. After he finished reading, he glanced up at the elegant red statue above the inscription. "So, this is Latias after all."

"Hey, this other one also has something written on it," Dawn spoke up, pointing to the plate on the pillar to their left. "I'm delighted to give you a hospitable welcome to Alto Mare as well as my kind regards. I hope you have a pleasant and fulfilling stay. – Latios," she read aloud. "That's what it says."

"Huh, so this is as if Latias and Latios themselves were welcoming us to the city?" Ash questioned with an awestruck expression on his face "That's a really cool detail." On his shoulder, Pikachu nodded in agreement.

"Seems that way." Brock hummed thoughtfully, leaning forward to examine the inscription. He frowned while reaching forward to run his hand across the letters of the inscription. He slowly felt his way through each letter, his expression becoming more flabbergasted with every moment. "These aren't made by people. They're claw marks."

"What, claws?" Dawn asked, shocked.

"Yeah," Brock answered, incredulous.

"So, that means this… this was actually written by the dragons themselves? Or was it just done by local artists trying to replicate claws?" Ash asked in intrigue, looking closely to inspect the writing along with Brock.

"Honestly, I don't know," Brock responded, walking to Latios' pillar to eye the inscription on it for a few moments. "These do look like claw marks, and both styles are also distinctly different. The letters on Latios' message look sharper and more linear, while the ones on Latias' plaque seem to be rounder and softer. Basically, they are unique in design to each other. It's almost as if they reflected personality. Hmm, I wonder…" Before he could continue talking, he noticed among the people walking nearby a young man wearing a distinct blue uniform with the emblem of Alto Mare on his sleeve. "Oh, excuse me!" he called out, raising his hand.

The man stopped and glanced at him briefly, then made his way over to them. "Hello, welcome to Alto Mare," the man greeted them curtly. "I'm an assistant of the harbormaster, how may I help you?"

"Are these inscriptions… you know?" Ash began to speak while pointing to the statues and plaques, not entirely sure how to formulate his question.

The assistant smiled warmly, already knowing exactly what was going through the young trainer's mind. "Oh, they're real. These are indeed carved by our guardian gods, Latios and Latias, themselves. They're an expression of their goodwill to all our tourists and wishing them a pleasant stay in our city," he answered with a hint of admiration on his voice.

"Thank you," Dawn and Ash responded at the same time. The assistant, seeing that he was no longer needed, gave them a curt nod before leaving to resume his duties.

Brock held his chin with a hand in thought. "Impressive… so this really was done by their own claws," he noted.

"Yeah, it's awesome. You know, now I hope we actually get to meet them," Ash said wishfully. "That would be great." He walked past the pillars, with Brock and Dawn following him.

Brock nodded in agreement. "Yeah, they seem like a really friendly pair of Pokémon. I hope we have a chance to meet them, too."

"Well, considering our very long track record whenever we visit places with ties to Legendary Pokémon… I honestly wouldn't be surprised if we actually met them, and then a catastrophe happens while we're here. So, we'll be forced to help Latias and Latios deal with it," Ash commented with a roll of his eyes. Pikachu groaned and held his head between his paws.

Brock playfully smacked the young trainer in the shoulder, almost causing Pikachu to lose his balance and fall off. "Ash! Do. Not. Jinx. It."

Dawn laughed heartily. "Yeah! I'd love to have a vacation that's actually peaceful for once and not have Legendary Pokémon fighting all around us like in Alamos Town or Michina Town."

Ash chuckled. "Well, me too! I was just making a comment… Let's hope not."

"Yeah, no need to worry, right?" Dawn said expectantly.

Brock frowned. "Don't say that specific phrase, Dawn."

"Fine, I won't. So, anyway, where to now, Brock?" Dawn asked while looking around.

"Well, first we go to the Pokémon Center to check in for a place to stay at night. Then, we're going to have you two registered," Brock replied. "We arrived at the city at just the perfect time like I planned."

"Get us registered? Registered for what exactly?" Ash questioned, with Pikachu looking at the former gym leader with equal attention.

Brock smirked. "Something called the Tour de Alto Mare."

* * *

**Chapter 1 End**

* * *

**Author Notes:** Well, that's it for the opening chapter. Not something shown in the actual movie but I had to set up what I was going for with this rewrite. Next chapter we'll start with the movie's actual opening. Anyway, I hope it was of your liking! Please, don't forget to **review **and let me know what you think. I had a lot of fun writing this, so I hope I didn't disappoint!

On other notes…

**I have a Discord Server!** Please consider joining our fun Pokémon/Gaming/FanFiction community over there. There is an invite link you can copy and paste in my FanFiction profile and my DeviantArt Profile.


	2. Blasphemy

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Pokémon.

**Author Notes:** Well, here's chapter 2! Now that I got the intro out of the way and set up the story as well as introduced Ash's reasons for his belated visit to Alto Mare in relation to the canon timeline, it's time to head properly into the movie itself! So, enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 2 – Blasphemy**

* * *

Several days prior…

"Do you think you'll find it anytime soon, Oakley?" a tall and athletic young woman questioned, casually leaning back against a wall while idly fiddling with one of the two overgrown swirly ponytails of her stunning blonde hair. Despite her overbearing haircut, she was dressed in discrete spy gear, consisting of black pants with the lower section of the left leg colored in dull red, and a black top that exposed her midriff. At her side was an Espeon that was currently sitting on his hind legs, diligently standing guard.

"Quiet, Annie!" another young woman whispered aggressively, her tone clearly irritated. The woman, named Oakley, was easily as fit and athletic as Annie was, and was dressed in almost identical clothes. The most notable difference between their attires was that her black pants had the lower section of the right leg colored in azure blue instead. Unlike Annie's more extravagant hairstyle, her neat silver-colored hair had a more subtle shoulder-length cut that slightly fanned out at the base.

Both of them were wearing intricate antireflective high-tech sunglasses with dark red markings on their frames. Annie's sunglasses were a very stylish and modern one-piece sports design, while Oakley's were an antique two-piece round design. Complementing their attires, they both had long grey-colored gloves that covered their arms up their elbows, with metallic armbands wrapped around each of their upper arms.

Oakley hummed as she rummaged through the numerous books that lined the bookshelf she was facing. Her sophisticated sunglasses were equipped with night vision, enabling her to see and read the contents of the bookshelves despite the fact they were in a dark library whose only scant illumination was provided by the faint moonlight shining through the windows. Oakley hastily stood up, moved over to the next shelf, and then crouched down to resume looking. "It's gotta be around here," Oakley murmured impatiently.

"Well, hurry up and find it already," Annie hushed back, crossing her arms over her chest while a bored expression settled on her features.

Oakley threw her a very unimpressed glance. "Says the one that's just standing there doing nothing."

"Sorry, you know this isn't my thing. All yours, Oakley," Annie replied with a casual shrug. The Espeon that was with her idly looked back and forth between the two sisters' hushed discussion while remaining completely silent.

Oakley resumed hurriedly looking though the assortment of books. The vast majority of them were old and clearly worn out, and centered mainly on the topics of history, mythology and the nature of the Pokémon world. As she moved through them, Oakley paused when she touched a particularly heavy book with intricate letters on its spine. She let out a pleased hum as she pulled it out, and then stood up. "I think I got it."

Annie curiously leaned forward to look at it, and frowned when she noticed the strange typescripts adorning the book's cover. "What language is that?" she asked, slightly mystified.

"It's an old language dating back thousands of years, presumably from the draconic tribes of eastern Johto, modern day Blackthorn city," Oakley answered while slowly tracing some of the letters with her hand. "It's still readable thanks to Blackthorn's population keeping it alive, so, the knowledge is out there. And this isn't the front cover. This is actually the back cover." She smirked and flipped the book around, revealing a wordless cover that only featured an ornamented image that replicated the appearance of two distinct draconic Pokémon, with an orb-like decoration above them. "_This_ is the front cover."

Annie nodded slowly. "I see. So, I presume those are-"

"Correct," Oakley interrupted, a slight grin forming in her lips. "These two Legendary Pokémon are Latios and Latias." She let out a frown as she moved her arms up and down, weighting the book. "This book is really old and heavy, its covers seem to be made of some type of stone." She adjusted her grip on it and opened it, and then began to turn through the pages slowly. "The paper is very thick, too. Feels like silk."

"So, what's in the book?" Annie asked interestedly, raising an eyebrow. "Anything of value?" she added.

"I don't know the full picture yet. It's not like I can actually read this language. But, our computer can decipher it. Presumably, it's got topics ranging from details about Alto Mare, some of its hidden goodies, its guardian Latios and Latias-"

"Boring," Annie interrupted, her tone flat and disinterested. "Just more random whatever rare Pokémon Giovanni wants. Tell me what else is new this time around."

"It gets better and you're gonna love it," Oakley replied. However, she froze briefly when Annie's Espeon let out a quiet snarl and crouched down while using his head to signal towards a nearby corner. Oakley pressed herself closer to the bookshelf and tilted her head to the side. "Wait, I hear something." Oakley paid close attention to the faint sounds while quietly closing the book and tucking it under her arm. "Footsteps, possibly a guard," she whispered.

"We can easily take a guard out," Annie pointed out with a shrug. "What's the big deal?" she asked, being mindful to keep her tone down.

"No violence today, Annie. No evidence, either. Don't leave our signature card or rose, I'll explain why later. Let's retreat, we have the book." Oakley swiftly reached forward with her free arm, spacing the remaining books on the shelf in a way where it'd be difficult to immediately tell one was missing.

While Oakley covered their tracks, Annie looked down and gave a short nod to her feline companion. The Espeon's eyes narrowed and glowed faintly as he used his Psyshock attack to create a series of solid footstools made of blue psychic energy along the wall behind them, leading up to an open window near the roof. Annie dashed forward and deftly jumped her way up them, climbing the wall in an instant. Once Oakley was done, she immediately turned around and ran up the wall the same way. Once both were up and had exited through the window, Annie's Espeon dashed and easily jumped towards the window in one great leap.

Annie gently closed the window once Espeon had made it through, and then took out a Poké Ball from a holster attached to her pants. "Espeon, return," she whispered. A red beam of energy shot out of the device, enveloping the lavender-colored feline and dematerializing him into the confines of the sphere.

"Let's go," Oakley murmured when she noticed the light of a flashlight beginning to shine around the corner of the bookstand they had just been looking through, as well as hear the sound of the guard's loud calls.

Annie nodded slowly. Both Team Rocket agents suddenly took off running along the roof, heading towards the other side of the imposing library they had just pillaged. After expertly climbing down the roof through a prepositioned zip-line and carefully covering their tracks, both women hastily headed towards their vehicle, which was parked inconspicuously along one of the adjacent streets.

They quickly jumped into the very bulky, black-colored and modern-looking convertible car, with Annie taking the passenger's seat and Oakley taking the driver's seat. Oakley took off her sunglasses, pocketed them and then handed her sister the heavy book. "All good?" Oakley asked abruptly.

"Yeah, all good," Annie answered with a quick nod while taking off her sunglasses.

"Perfect." Oakley reached forward and pressed her fingertip to a panel on the car's dashboard. The screen flashed on as it authenticated her fingerprint, and then the vehicle's engine turned on in a surprisingly quiet manner for a car of that size. Oakley let out a deep sigh and started driving away from the scene.

Annie glanced back as the library faded into the distance, lost among the many buildings of the Johto city they were currently in as they drove through empty streets, with passing streetlights providing sporadic illumination in the dark night. Annie let out a disappointed sigh and looked down at the book in her hands, idly examining it with an apathetic expression. "So, why did we ditch the signed card and the rose? We _always _leave those after everyheist. It feels very empty not to do it," she complained.

"Because of safety. I'll be honest with you, Annie," Oakley began, her tone dead serious while her eyes remained fixated on the road ahead. "We're in grave danger. This is going to be the most dangerous mission we've ever taken. I'm taking absolutely no risks with this."

Annie blinked and looked at her sister in surprise for several long and awkward seconds. "Pardon me? What?" she questioned disbelievingly.

"I'm very worried about this, Annie," Oakley replied, her tone uncharacteristically anxious. "I want you one hundred percent serious with this assignment, okay?" she said sharply.

Annie frowned, but regained her composure and finally nodded in agreement. "Okay, I will be," she relented. "Serious mode on."

"Good. The reason we ditched our calling card was because I don't want the library contacting Alto Mare and informing them that we're potentially planning something, and thus put our whole operation in danger," Oakley explained. "Without the police-tease, the library staff probably won't notice the book is missing right away or realize the island city is in danger. They'll notice until either they specifically look for it, or until they make a book inventory."

Annie pressed a finger to her chin, thoughtful. "So, that gives us several days at the very least, possibly more, before the library realizes a sensitive book about Alto Mare is missing and they contact the city. And, even if they _do _contact them, they have no idea it's us anyway."

"Precisely," Oakley agreed. "Hold on, need to focus for a bit." She smirked as she kept driving down street after street, slowly exiting the city and entering the mountainous countryside. As the car approached a steep climb, Oakley hit the gas and sped up considerably. The car rocketed up the road and smashed through the security railing when it reached a tight turn, resulting in it flying off the cliff. As the car plummeted down the mountainside, it abruptly began to transform.

The car's side panels right behind the doors and a large section of the underside gave way as a pair of wings that ended in two potent rocket engines emerged and properly aligned into place. The back section shifted open, forming a long tail that ended in two vertical fins resembling those of an airplane. The car's interior shifted inwards, giving space for the front fuselage to narrow into a sharp and aerodynamic jet-like shape at the same time as a canopy slowly slid forward to seal off the car's cabin. The rocket engines came to life in a fiery ignition, propelling the transformed car through the air like a jet plane.

Oakley reached to the main console and inputted several commands. She took her hands off the steering wheel, letting autopilot take control. "Okay, we're good now," she said at last.

"So, what's got you so worked up about this mission?" Annie questioned, her expression conveying clear concern. "I haven't ever seen you this concerned about anything."

"I've been keeping you a bit in the dark about this mission while I did my homework about it, Annie. It's not like you pay much attention to background research and preparation until it's time to actually get to work, anyway," Oakley started, giving her sister a knowing stare.

Annie laughed embarrassedly, scratching the back of her head in the process. "Yeah, you definitely know me."

"Yes, I know you, sister," Oakley said drily. "So, the mission we've been assigned by Giovanni is to invade Alto Mare and capture the guardian Latios and Latias for him. We've also got to steal something called the 'Soul Dew' and finally, our biggest target, take control of a machine called the DMA."

"Soul Dew? DMA? What? Speak in English, please," Annie said awkwardly, blinking in confusion.

"The DMA stands for 'Defense Mechanism of Alto Mare' and apparently, it's a machine so powerful it can bend entire regions to its will. As for the Soul Dew, it's an obscure artifact shrouded in complete mystery. That book is one of the few known records of it, and its existence is not something widely known to the public. Supposedly, it's a mythical spherical jewel that contains the soul of a Latios," Oakley clarified.

"Oh, okay, a jewel that contains a Legendary Pokémon's soul? Now you've got me very much interested in this," Annie commented eagerly, her eyes gleaming with greed. "That thing must be so gorgeous! I'd love to get my hands on that."

"We'll know more about the DMA and the jewel once we actually have our computer decode this book," Oakley said, her lips curling into a dark smirk. "Giovanni wants them too. Don't worry, as always, we'll see what we can keep for ourselves once we're finished with the mission." Oakley waved a hand dismissively. "Anyway, that's all I actually know for now."

"Well, this doesn't sound too hard. Steal a jewel and a machine, capture a pair of Pokémon, it's nothing out of this world for us. What's the catch? Why's this mission so dangerous?" Annie questioned curiously.

Oakley frowned and bit her lip slightly. "Well, I don't know the exact danger level, I'm only presuming it."

"We're going off a presumption!? That doesn't sound anything like you at all, Oakley," Annie retorted pointedly, narrowing her eyes at her sister. "What's wrong with you?"

Oakley looked at Annie for several long moments, taking a few deep breaths in the process. "What do you know about Alto Mare, Annie?" she asked abruptly while crossing her arms over her chest. "Tell me."

"Uh, not that much," Annie answered honestly, shrugging afterwards. "I know it's famous for being one of the world's most popular tourist attractions. Good museums, beaches, parks, lots of culture. But those aren't things I'm particularly interested in. There's far better places for fashion, luxuries and jewelry. That's what I crave."

"Spot on, but you missed the biggest thing. Alto Mare's also famous because it's the only city in the world that's governed by Pokémon. Precisely, by the guardian Latios and Latias," Oakley explained.

Annie's jaw dropped slightly. "Wait, really? I thought that was just random propaganda to draw in clueless tourists," she said, flabbergasted. "Admittedly, I'm not someone who really reads into other places unless they explicitly interest me. I wouldn't know." She glanced down at the book, focusing on the draconic carvings on the front cover. "So, are they like… Alto Mare's actual heads of state?" she asked slowly.

"Yes. Well, more or less," Oakley answered after a moment's thought. "I'm not entirely sure how that works, or how there's people who'd ever be willing to live under the rule of a stupid Pokémon. Anyway, the point is, those two Pokémon govern that city, and they're known to be very strong. But, no one knows exactly how powerful they are. Personally, I presume they're immensely powerful, and thus, very dangerous opponents. And that's on top of having an entire city's resources at their disposal."

"Why do you presume that?" Annie questioned, lifting her gaze from the book to look at her sister. "You rarely work off presumptions. You're a woman of pure facts."

"Well, look at this," Oakley started, reaching towards the jet car's console. She glided through its apps before opening a web browser. She then proceeded to look up information about Alto Mare and its guardians, and then selected several of the first videos that immediately popped up. Both sisters sat back as the video loaded and went on to show an amateur fan footage from a tourist, filming as one of the city's fabled guardians interacted with a few locals and tourists at what looked to be a museum. "See?" Oakley then reached forward, swiping the screen to select a different video that depicted something similar, this time in a lush park. "And again." Oakley changed to a different video that showed similar footage on what seemed to be a main plaza. "What are you noticing here, Annie?" she asked sharply.

"I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be looking for," Annie admitted, her expression perplexed. "Well, those two aren't shy from what it looks like. They're just… I don't know, going around in the city?"

"Precisely!" Oakley exclaimed, her loud outburst making Annie slightly jump on her seat. "Now, think about this objectively," Oakley said, her voice very stern. "This is a fucking Latios and Latias we're talking about. _A Latios and Latias_! They're two Legendary Pokémon. That means they're some of the rarest Pokémon on the planet and their value on any market, legal or illegal, can easily go into the billions. And, _they're just there._" Oakley let out a weary sigh, rubbing her temples in the process. "They're just there, Annie. With tourists and locals randomly sharing videos of them to the point they're just one web browse away from anyone who wants to see them or know where they are. There's no secrecy. And, that's the problem. That's why I'm worried."

Annie's eyes slowly widened as realization dawned on her. "I see what you're going at."

Oakley nodded. "Bingo. If anyone can find them, and they're so valuable. _Why_ are they still there?"

"Why… hasn't any other criminal… like us… taken them already?" Annie asked, taking several pauses as she spoke out. "Why? There's thousands of high-profile criminals out there, yet they're still living in the city like nothing's wrong."

Oakley looked ahead to the distant horizon, her eyes a bit lost. After several long moments, she began to speak again. "Giovanni filed this assignment to me a few weeks ago. As I said earlier, I decided to do my homework before telling you about it." Oakley paused, thinking of the best way to express her thoughts. "During that period, I went through most of my acquaintances and contacts. Other hunters, poachers, spies, everyone I had. I came to a startling discovery. No one from the underworld that's tried to abduct those two dragons has ever been heard of again."

Annie's breath caught in her throat for a brief moment. "Really?"

Oakley nodded. "Yes. There's been cases of many dumb trainers who've tried to be a little too smart and have tried to catch them, but it's all fine with them. Usually they get a very stern warning and they're off." She paused for a few instants. "But criminals like us? There are no failure records that I know of in the underworld. Those that have announced their intentions to try and abduct that Latios and Latias are usually never heard from again. In fact, Team Rocket has sent expeditions to Alto Mare before. All failed with a total loss of the force."

"So, it's all or nothing with those two," Annie commented. She swallowed. "And we're next."

"Yes, we're next. But, there's a big difference. We're not like the rest. We won't fail," Oakley said immediately, steeling her resolve. "That's why I've been preparing so much for this. We'll continue preparing, we're not done yet. If we're to successfully capture those two dragons and the island's valuables, we must take the utmost precaution and only go challenge them once we're _absolutely_ ready and certain that victory is assured."

"Got it," Annie responded, her gaze hardening. "So, we heading to Alto Mare now?"

"Yes, but not directly," Oakley answered, leaning back into her seat while putting her arms behind her head. "We're heading to a small port city with tourist ships that leave for Alto Mare daily. I have a feeling those two dragons would immediately notice a flying car entering the city's airspace. So, we'll be infiltrating the place as tourists and do intensive recon first, and once we're ready, we'll strike with full force."

Annie nodded, once again looking down at the book in her hands and focusing on the two draconic engravings. "So, these two are our next opponents. Alto Mare's fabled guardians and rulers, Latios and Latias."

"Indeed, they are. If they're as powerful as they're renowned for, then I'll do my best…" Oakley smirked sinisterly with an ominous glint in her eyes, "To make sure they meet their match."

* * *

**Chapter 2 End**

* * *

**Author Notes:** Well, say hello to Annie and Oakley! Of course, they can't be missing from a heroes rewrite. And they're not slacking off, either.

Anyway… Please, don't forget to **review **and let me know what you think! I'm always eager to hear your opinions!

Also,** I have a Discord Server!** Please consider joining our fun Pokémon/Gaming/FanFiction community over there. There is an invite link you can copy and paste in my FanFiction profile and my DeviantArt Profile.


	3. Our Gods

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Pokémon.

**Author Notes:** Well, I'm pretty happy to finally bring you chapter 3. Enjoy the read!

* * *

**Chapter 3 — Our Gods**

* * *

The gentle resonance of orchestral music coming from many outdoor concerts resounded across the once peaceful canals of the city of Alto Mare, drowning out the sound of the gentle waves and mixing along with the chatter of the masses. The city was unbelievably lively, as the day of its most famous yearly event had finally arrived. The Tour De Alto Mare.

The sidewalks lining the city's canals along the race's designated route were crowded to full capacity, with dozens of simple but effective temporary stands framing them to allow even more spectators to take a seat. All across the city, a festive and jubilant environment prevailed. Businesses were flocked with both tourists and locals alike, and hundreds of street vendors wandered about trying to sell their goods.

Ash looked around with widened eyes and a silly grin etched on his face. "Brock wasn't kidding when he said this place was amazing," he commented admiringly as he walked onto the boarding platform for the race's participants. He was barefoot and only dressed in a plain black shirt and blue shorts.

"Yeah, it totally is!" Dawn agreed jovially as she joined her friend on the platform. She was barefoot as well and had ditched her miniskirt in favor of her yellow and orange shorts. She kept her usual black top on and had tied her hair into a neat ponytail for convenience. "I'm so ready!" Dawn looked down with a grin. "Are you ready as well, Piplup?" she asked her partner, whom she was cradling in her arms.

Piplup nodded eagerly in response, confidently chirping several times.

"Piplup and I are so pumped! You better do your best if you want to have a shot at winning this race, Ash." Dawn gave Ash a friendly wink.

Ash smirked and reached into his pocket to grab the sole Poké Ball that he had brought along with him. He held up the spherical device and activated it, releasing his trusted Buizel from its confines with a bright flash of white light. "Same goes for you, Dawn. You know better than anyone just how strong Buizel is," Ash replied, chuckling as Buizel crossed his arms over his chest while throwing Dawn's Piplup a confident and competitive smirk.

Dawn laughed heartily. "We'll see, Ash. We also have to save ourselves for the rest of the competition."

Dawn glanced around, taking note of the several dozen trainers also present at the boarding platform along with them. Most of them were in the process of releasing their own water-type Pokémon and fastening their harnesses on them.

"Well, let's get ready," Dawn said, walking to her assigned chariot. She sat down, grabbed the harness, and began to carefully tie it to her Piplup.

Ash nodded and followed her, with his Buizel doing the same. He walked over to the chariot next to her, crouched down, and began to fasten its harness on to Buizel. "Good luck, Dawn!" Ash wished his friend cheerfully.

Dawn looked at him out the corner of her eye and smiled. "Same to you, Ash!"

"Attention, competitors!" an officer shouted through a megaphone from the entrance to the boarding platform, prompting all the trainers present to look at him. "The race will begin in ten minutes, please board your chariots and proceed towards the starting line!"

"Well, that's our cue," Dawn commented as she tightened the harness on Piplup. She took a step back, examining her handwork. Piplup looked at himself for several moments and then gave Dawn an approving chirp. Dawn stepped onto the pink chariot, being careful to mind her balance.

Ash tightened the harness around Buizel, giving himself a brief nod of approval once he was finished. He stood up and boarded his yellow chariot. Ash idly pressed his weight in different directions, causing the chariot to tilt in tandem with him and give the trainer a feeling of its balance. "Yeah, we're good now, Buizel."

Dawn looked on as Ash tested his balance, and decided to briefly mimic him to get a feel of her own chariot for safety. "Let's go, Piplup," Dawn called out once she felt she was ready, giving her partner a short nod.

Piplup and Buizel dived into the water, creating two small splashes in the process. As they did so, both Ash and Dawn grabbed the lines attached to the harnesses of their respective Pokémon, which allowed them to tow their trainers further into the water. Across the boarding platform, the other competitors did the same and joined the pair in their trek towards the starting line located at the center of Alto Mare's primary canal. All around the racers, clapping began to echo across the city as the hundreds of people lined up on the city's sidewalks, bridges and stands began to applaud them.

Ash couldn't help but smile, occasionally waving at the crowds as Buizel got into position at the starting line. "This place is so wholesome," he commented. "People here are just so _nice_."

"Yeah," Dawn agreed with a smile just as she came to a stop beside Ash's chariot. "After the stress of our Sinnoh journeys, I think this vacation will do us well. Alto Mare hasn't disappointed at all so far. We're gonna have a blast!"

"Why thank you," someone beside the pair said, prompting Ash and Dawn to glance to their left. There, they noticed a teenager who looked around Ash's age. He was dressed in long blue shorts and a vibrant red vest with a yellow zigzag design on its bottom. He was holding onto a line that led to his own racing Pokémon, a very healthy and strong-looking Wailmer. He reached up to his face, pulling up a pair of stylish one-piece sports sunglasses. "The name's Ross. Always thrilled to hear foreigners speak so highly of our city."

"Pleased to meet you, Ross," Ash responded politely. "I'm Ash."

"Likewise, and my name's Dawn," Dawn said, introducing herself with a friendly wave. "And, well, we'd be lying if we said anything else about Alto Mare."

Ross gave the pair a thumbs up. "That's great! I promise you that Alto Mare won't disappoint for your vacation. I also recognize you two. You're Sinnoh Grand Festival and Lily of the Valley Conference top contenders, which means you two are bound to have powerful and capable Pokémon. I'm the reigning champion of this race, so be sure to give me a challenge!"

Ash grinned. "Oh, you'll get more than you bargained for!" he answered fiercely.

Dawn nodded, a competitive smirk flashing on her features. "You bet! Be careful what you ask for, because we may end up surprising you."

Ross laughed, reaching up to lower his sport sunglasses over his eyes once more. "Good! This race is gonna be one to remember."

Ash looked at Ross and his Wailmer for a few moments before glancing around, eyeing the expectant crowds and the other competitors. As he looked around, Ash noticed Brock and Pikachu waving at them from the closest bridge to the starting line. "Oh, hey, Dawn! There's Brock, and Pikachu too!" Ash pointed ahead with his free hand. "Over there!"

Dawn followed the teen's finger and chuckled when she noticed them. She raised her free hand to wave back at her friends. "Yeah, that's them alright!"

"Testing, testing!" a voice rang throughout the main canal, carried out by an assortment of loudspeakers placed along the race's route. Ash and Dawn looked around, quickly noticing a man holding a microphone on a podium near the starting line. "Ladies and gentlemen, it's a beautiful day for Alto Mare's annual water chariot festival, the Tour De Alto Mare! It looks like we have a record turnout today!"

The crowds gathered along the canals started clapping and cheering, prompting the announcer to wait for a few instants while the spirited crowd quieted down for a bit. "Are you all ready to proceed to the main event!?" he questioned energetically, causing the crowds to murmur in excitement. "Please, welcome our guardian gods to preside over the race!"

Ash gasped, his eyes widening in surprise. "Wait, what!?" he questioned in disbelief, glancing at Dawn, wondering if she had heard the same thing he had. His jaw dropped when Dawn flashed him an incredulous look, signaling that she too was stupefied.

Ross laughed at the pair's reaction, clearly bemused. "Oh yes! Our guardian gods always watch over the race. It's a tradition," he explained coolly.

A pair of imposing shadows suddenly passed over several of the competitors, including Ash and Dawn. That prompted both of them to immediately look upward and gaze at the arriving dragons with a dumbfounded expression. Ash's breath was taken away at the sight of the very same Pokémon that had ended his dreams of winning the Lily of the Valley Conference just a few days ago.

Latios and Latias regally descended from the heavens with the sun behind their backs, the sunlight glistening elegantly on their respective feather coats and casting their shadows onto the canal below. The pair stopped their descent about a hundred feet above the ground, looking over the crowds and competitors with kind expressions on their faces. Most of the people in the surrounding crowd stood up respectfully, clapping in the presence of the two deities. The rest, most likely tourists, let out excited shouts and chattered amongst themselves and took out various mobile devices to take pictures of the two Legendary Pokémon.

Ash's eyes were fixated on the two dragon Pokémon, stunned from the surprise of having them make an appearance so soon into his visit of the city. _'I guess when Brock said that they were part of public life in this place… he wasn't kidding at all,'_ he thought to himself, only now noticing that his breath had caught in his throat, forcing him to exhale at last. Ash examined them, taking note of how the Latios seemed to be larger and of a slightly different shade of blue than the one Tobias had.

Ash then focused on the other one. _'I've seen Latios before, that means… that must be Latias.'_ He hummed in thought. Latias, he realized, was just slightly smaller than Latios and was almost identical in looks, though she was red instead of blue and her ears and wings were shaped slightly differently.

"Welcome, both citizens of Alto Mare and visitors alike, to one of our grand annual festivals," Latias said, speaking in a soft and angelic voice that powerfully resonated across the entirety of the city's canals and easily reached all the contestants and spectators, effortlessly drowning out the ambient sounds and the crowd's chatters. Yet, despite how far-reaching her steady voice was, she wasn't shouting or thundering in any way. "It's an honor for my brother and I to watch over the race, as has always been our tradition. I'm sure it will be as splendid as it's always been."

"I'm sure of that as well," Latios agreed, speaking up in an equally powerful and firm voice that evenly spread across the city. However, his masculine voice was thicker and more imposing than Latias' gentler and more feminine tone. "We're delighted to take part in our city's festivities, and the Tour De Alto Mare is no different." He looked down, giving the contestants a feral grin. "I see a lot of familiar faces amongst this year's competitors, and many new ones as well. Good luck to all of you, and may the best racer win."

All around the two dragons the crowd applauded and the racers cheered, with many of them pumping a fist into the air. Ash let out a short laugh, noting that a clearly excited Dawn was amongst them. "So, those are Latios and Latias," Ash muttered, thoroughly impressed.

'_Although…' _Ash let out a short hum, eying them carefully and letting the more critical side of him take hold. _'There's something odd about the way they talk, but I can't exactly pinpoint what. It's not telepathy like some of the other Legendaries we've met. They're talking like Meowth does, straight out of their mouths. It seems natural, but I can't help but feel like there's something off going on, but what is it?'_ he wondered, clearly intrigued.

Latios and Latias nodded at each other. Taking the cue, Latios flew higher into the sky while Latias remained behind. "Alright, racers, get ready!" Latias announced. Her eyes began to glow in a soft blue hue, which slowly spread towards her plumage. Unlike her eyes, her vibrant red feathers began to shine in intense scarlet light. Along the edges of the canals that formed the race's designated track throughout the city, illusions of red stripes began to materialize out of thin air. At the same time, illusions of red walls formed to block the entrances of streets that weren't part of the track.

"As usual, I will be in charge of race safety and marking the route." Latias eyed the competitors, grinning slightly. "At the signal of my brother's Draco Meteor, you may begin!" she called out, her gentle voice resounding across the city.

Latios opened his mouth, forming a bright crimson sphere of draconic energy within it. He tilted his head back and fired the powerful Draco Meteor high into the sky. Every racer braced and their Pokémon reared back, getting ready for the race to start. They all carefully followed the Draco Meteor's trajectory as it soared through the sky like a shooting star.

The draconic sphere suddenly detonated, releasing a potent explosion and a blast of red energy that briefly flashed across the sky. The moment the attack went off, every water-type Pokémon took off.

"Let's go!" Ash shouted energetically, pulling his cap backward with his free hand as Buizel shot forward. However, Ash gasped in shock when he saw Ross and his Wailmer bolt past him, slightly splashing him in the process. "Don't let up, Buizel!" he encouraged determinedly. Buizel let out a fierce cry as he accelerated, causing Ash's chariot to propel ahead in an effort to catch up to Ross.

As the racers surged out of the starting line and headed towards the first bridge, Pikachu crouched down on the bridge's security railing and took aim. He waited for a few seconds and then deftly leaped off the moment Ash was just about to pass under the bridge. "Pikachu!" Brock called out, mentally smacking himself for failing to keep watch over the electric-type.

Latias watched the racers go and tilted her head curiously when she noticed a Pikachu jumping off from the main bridge. She was about to psychically intervene—as she believed the Pikachu was potentially in danger—until she noticed that he had perfectly timed his jump to land on one of the racers, who she presumed must have been his trainer.

"Whoa!" Ash shouted as Pikachu landed on his face, almost causing him to lose his balance. Buizel slowed down, not wanting his trainer to be knocked over. "Hey! Guess I couldn't race without ya, right buddy?" Ash asked heartily, laughing briefly as Pikachu took a seat on his usual spot on the trainer's shoulder. Pikachu let out a cheerful cry in response, flashing his trainer a grin.

"See ya!" Dawn called out as she rushed past Ash while tauntingly waving a hand at him. "Slowpoke!"

Ash smirked. "We'll see about that, Dawn. Buizel, top speed!" he commanded while dramatically pointing ahead. Buizel reared back and spun his dual tails with as much strength as he could, causing Ash's chariot to surge forward to close the distance that Ross and Dawn—as well as a few other competitors—had established ahead of him.

Latias looked on at the interaction from a distance, letting out a short laugh in amusement. Noting that she didn't have to intervene and everyone was safe, she turned around and flew onward to keep pace with the racers while making sure to stay roughly around the middle of the pack. "Ready, Latios?" she asked, her amber eyes beginning to glow in soft blue light. "I'm ready to begin sight-sharing."

Latios, who was still soaring high above Alto Mare, nodded briefly. "Always am, Latias." His red eyes began to glow in a blue hue. Lively shimmers spread across his plumage, lighting up his body in a powerful veil of blue light with such intensity that it was as if there was a second sun in the sky.

Meanwhile, back at the main bridge, Brock sighed as he looked at the space where Pikachu had been just a moment ago. "Why am I not surprised…" he muttered to himself while shaking his head. He glanced back and looked on as Dawn and Ash disappeared in the distance, with many other racers all around them.

Brock hummed, looking around for a screen or something similar to watch the rest of the race on. "Huh, the race is nice and all, but how are we going to see the rest of it?" he mused aloud, raising an eyebrow.

A young adult at his side laughed briefly, lowering a digital camera from her face. "Let me guess, tourist?" she asked, turning to look at him mirthfully. She was short, had shoulder-length brown hair, and was dressed in a teal-colored shirt and white miniskirt.

Brock's heart immediately pounded on his chest. She was beautiful, the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen in fact, and he'd met a lot of other beautiful women over the years. To him it didn't matter if every beautiful woman he met was _the_ most beautiful woman he'd ever met at the time. However, given the serious setting and how much public there was surrounding them, he decided against trying to flirt with her. For now. Plus, he didn't want to get Poison Jabbed by Croagunk again. "Yeah," he replied instead, scratching the back of his head and desperately trying to suppress the urge to propose marriage on the spot.

The woman smirked proudly. "Oh, just you wait. Never doubt our guardian gods."

"What do you me—" Brock suddenly paused when he noticed his surroundings beginning to shimmer vividly and then distort. He looked around in surprise as a dense veil of blue light majestically spread across the canal and the audience, beginning to form intricate images in the air. "What's going on?" he asked, startled.

The woman laughed in response, clearly enjoying his stupefied reaction. "Gets newcomers every time. We don't need screens to see the race because our gods project it via illusions for every person to see across the racetrack. When the racers physically pass each part of the track, they dispel the illusion for the people there to actually see it live and then resume the illusion once they have passed. That way, every person gets to see the entire race in full detail no matter where you are," she explained. "It's like real-life TV."

"Wow…" Brock whispered in awe. He looked up, seeing that Latios was high in the sky to the point he looked like a blue speck to him, though said blue speck was emitting a powerful and heavenly light that rained down on Alto Mare. "I see… so Latios is the one that's projecting the race for everyone in the city… That's very interesting."

All around Brock, and for every person nearby, the sight of race materialized as if they were _there_. "This is _amazing_." Brock focused on the illusionary imagery, noting that Dawn was in second place and was doing her best to keep up with the first place, a stylish trainer whose chariot was pulled by a Wailmer. Far behind the two, roughly in sixth place, was none other than Ash and Buizel. "Go, Ash! Go, Dawn!" Brock cheered enthusiastically.

"Friends of yours?" the woman guessed.

Brock nodded. "Some of the best I've ever had. I can introduce you later, if you'd like. I'm Brock, by the way."

The woman smiled radiantly, causing Brock's heart to flutter. "I'd like that, thank you. Oh, and my name's Bianca."

That did it. Unable to hold back any longer, Brock opened his mouth to declare his undying adoration for this woman he'd just met whose name he _just_ found out… and suddenly felt an all too familiar pain in his rear.

Gurgling and with his face turning an unpleasant shade of purple, he collapsed to the ground. Croagunk, hand still glowing from the Poison Jab he had just inflicted, grabbed the paralyzed Brock by the ankle and dragged him away, croaking softly to himself.

Bianca blinked, uncertain what to make of that. "That was weird."

* * *

**Chapter 3 End**

* * *

**Author Notes:** Well, say hello to Latios and Latias! I'm pretty happy to formally introduce them in this chapter! Hopefully, you will all find this iteration of them enjoyable and I'll be definitely delving into their characters in chapters to come. For now, stay tuned for the race's culmination next chapter!

Anyway… Please, don't forget to leave a **Review **and let me know what you think! I'm always eager to hear your opinions!

Also, I have a **Discord Server**! Please consider joining our fun Pokémon/Gaming/FanFiction community over there. There is an invite link you can copy and paste in my FanFiction profile and my DeviantArt Profile.


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